Throughout history water has always been seen as a symbol of life. Villages establish themselves along riverbanks so they’ll have access to fresh water. The river with its constant motion represents the flow of time, constantly moving forward for eternity. But just as trout can swim upstream, there are some things that move against time.

There was no one in the village with more pride than Maria. After all, she was the most beautiful woman the locals had ever seen. On many occasions men asked for her hand in marriage, but she turned all of them down. Maria would only marry the most handsome man in the world; no one else was good enough for her.

One summer afternoon a stranger rode into town.

Some debate whether love at first sight is real, but for Maria it was obvious, this is the man she would marry. He was handsome, wealthy, fluent in guitar, and sang beautifully. They instantly fell in love, and got married just two weeks later. At first their marriage was perfect, they had two children and lived a happy life.

After months of family life, Marias husband became restless. So he began traveling again, gone for weeks at a time. Maria struggled to care for the children in his absence. When he did return, all his attention was given to his children, but he paid no mind to Maria.

One evening Maria and the children went for a walk near the river. As they walked she saw a carriage approaching and recognized her husband sitting in the back. A smile came to her face, until she noticed the younger woman clinging to his arm.

The carriage came to a slow stop. The cracking of twigs under its wheels echoed the breaking of Marias heart. Her husband spoke briefly with the children, and Maria stared at the younger woman, furious. Her unfaithful husband returned to the carriage and continued down the road, completely ignoring Maria.

Maria became blinded by jealousy and rage. Another woman had replaced her, and her children claimed any remaining affection her husband had.

Everything went black. She imagined drowning the younger woman in the river, smiling at how the body would twitch and bubbles ceased to surface.

But when she came too, her shaking hands were wrapped around her children’s heads. The bodies lay still with their faces under the water.

After realizing what she had done, Maria screamed in Agony. Guilt rushed over her like a surge of water from the mountain rain.

She drowned herself.

Those living in the village say they heard Marias screams, even in the years after her death. Locals have seen a woman dressed in white, walking along the banks of the river.

Those who have heard the cries began calling the spirit La Llorona. Hearing her crying is a bad omen; misfortune follows whoever hears her wails at night.

We all fear growing old. Being forgotten. Marias pride caused a madness that resulted in the death of her children. The guilt of what she’d done has made her spirit cling to the river, where she continues looking for her drowned children.

Rivers and streams represent the constant movement of time. However time can be strange, it enters a whirlpool, reliving moments of pain and sadness. Spirits tend to relive a specific moment of their lives, unaware of their death. Trapped in our world, and trapped in time.

-

Message me on Facebook or Instagram to let me know of any other Myths or Urban Legends you want to see!

You can follow my process creating the illustrations on Instagram: @JeffersonMuncy

Throughout folklore there are countless stories of strange creatures blurring the line between humanity and the natural world. Most of these include stories of witches who have acquired the powers to transform into certain animals.

La Lechuza, also known as the Owl Witch, is known for her ability to change into a large owl to kidnap small children at night. However the most popular kind of transformation is the werewolf, a curse turning people into a wolf under the light of a full moon.

These stories may reflect our view of different animals throughout history. We created a feeling of understanding the world by applying certain characteristics and spiritual attributes to different species; some are signs of prosperity although others are omens of death. While some species symbolize a specific prophecy, the Navajo culture has legends of shape-shifters who can change into any animal they desire. Not bound by a single animal or spiritual characteristic.

The name “skin-walker” comes from the term “yee naaldlooshii”, which roughly translates to “with it, he goes on all fours.”

The Navajo and Apache cultures have multiple ways they can follow their spiritual path in order to connect to the spirit world. These practices and rituals are believed to combat sickness and bring prosperity to the tribe.However there a path that brings only death and misfortune to others, known as the Witchery Way. The ones who follow this path are obsessed with the desire for power and eternal life.

The Witchery Way is a taboo subject in Navajo culture, not to be discussed with outsiders. As a result the skin-walker legend is still obscured, we know very little about the creature’s origin.

The ritual to become a skin-walker involves a variety of ceremonial dances, ending with the participant killing a member of his or her own family. Afterwards, they are granted the power to cast powerful curses, and the ability to change into any animal they desire. Nevertheless, no matter what form a skin-walker takes, its natural abilities extend beyond the animal realm; it can also mimic the sounds of family members or crying children in order to lure unsuspecting victims away from the tribe.

They also possess ungodly stamina, as rumors say they can run up to two hundred miles without stopping, making them almost impossible to catch. The skin-walker continues to be one of the most elusive legends in American folklore.

We all fear the unknown. It’s easy to pass over the skin-walker legend, because there are almost no reported sightings or shared personal encounters. Nevertheless, to many people this legend is very real.

After learning what kinds of powers people can acquire through following the Witchery Way, we can only wonder about other North American stories of humans changing into animals. Such as sightings of giant birds with human faces, and large wolves seen walking on two feet. These kinds of stories are still unfolding today.

After all, who are we to say what exists and what doesn’t? Native American tribes have been here longer than any of us. They have seen what blessings the land can give, and the dark secrets it hides.

Message me on Facebook or Instagram to let me know of any other Myths or Urban Legends you want to see!

You can follow my process creating the illustrations on Instagram: @JeffersonMuncy

The woods may be deceptive. If you find yourself lost, the environment quickly turns from a place of beauty, to one of dread. Some are able to regain a sense of direction; unfortunately others are doomed to wander endlessly through the trees.

If lost, some paths lead to places you thought never existed. The trees twist and warp in strange ways. Something feels off. The Home of Baba Yaga has an unnatural effect on the forest surrounding it. Endlessly leading travelers back to its location.

Baba Yaga, The Witch of Wilds, is the most widely known spirit in Slavic Folklore. Her appearance is of an old emaciated woman, with a long nose and sharp iron teeth,

The legend has influenced many writers and artists over the centuries. What we know about modern versions of the witch, originated from the stories of Baba Yaga.

After dark, she leaves her home in search of children who have wondered into the woods. She flies though the air in a large mortar, using a pestle to steer. Once she finds an unfortunate child she will devour them, using her iron teeth to crunch through their bones.

Sometimes Baba Yaga will bring children back to her small hut, where she uses them in dark rituals. The hut stands above the ground, resting upon two large chicken legs. As she sleeps, it walks in circles throughout the night.

Surrounding the strange home is a fence decorated with human skulls. Those who have ventured into the area say the skulls burn with an unnatural light and cast a feeling of dread over the area.

Stories from folklore always have a designated villain, someone acting as the personification of evil. However, Baba Yaga personifies the Unknown. Depending on whom she encounters, she will act as either the wisewoman, or the witch. We can only speculate if there is a larger goal in mind.

She is said to know the deepest secrets of the universe, secrets that drive any normal person to madness.

For hundreds of years, Baba Yaga has lived in her hut. Helping some, while devouring others. Her knowledge includes ways to open the gates of the afterlife, allowing her to avoid death.

Allowing here to travel the forests eternally.

Message me on Facebook or Instagram to let me know of any other Folklore, Myths, or Urban Legends you want to see!

You can follow my process creating the illustrations on Instagram: @JeffersonMuncy

Looking for more strange stories? Check out the legend of the Manananggal!

Point Pleasant is a small town in West Virginia with fewer than five thousand residents. Many of the resident families have lived there for generations, resulting in a close community where everyone knows each other.

Native American tribes believed the area carried bad omens. When members of a tribe would venture into the surrounding forest, they reported seeing a large bird-man flying overhead. These sightings would continue with European settlers through the 1940’s.

As modern society progresses, we expect these strange stories to fade away. Nevertheless, from 1966 to 1967 the sightings intensified, resulting in one of the most recognized urban legends.

The first of these sightings took place in late November 1966.

Four teenagers were driving through the back roads of Point Pleasant. While driving past an old ammunitions plant, they witnessed what appeared to be a tall man standing on the roadside. He had no discernable head, large wings folded on his back. As they drove past, the man began to open his wings and chase car.

It matched their speed as they reached 90mph, before disappearing.

A few days later, two bikers were riding through the same area, when they saw strange red lights on the roof of an abandoned power plant building. They decided to investigate, but as they got closer, they realized the red lights were actually a pair of glowing red eyes. The creature watched them briefly before spreading its large wings and flew away.

In the following weeks, there were dozens of sightings. All of the eyewitness accounts described a 6ft tall creature, with large wings and glowing red eyes.

Things only got stranger. After the creature surfaced, UFO sightings began as well.

In urban legends, there are stories of a creature lurking through the forest, or flying through the night sky. What make the Mothman legend so unique are the other strange sightings surrounding its appearance. In the following year, there were upwards to 100 Mothman sightings, and countless sightings of UFO’s.

In December 1967, the strange occurrences surrounding the town peaked. Mothman sightings suddenly increased, and reports of “men in black” with strange behavior began to gain attention. They began showing up on the doorsteps of eyewitnesses, threatening them not to discuss recent events.

On December 15, 1967, the 40-year-old Silver Bridge of Point Pleasant collapsed. Causing the deaths of roughly 50 people. Everyone was affected. Because of the size of the small town, almost everyone had known someone who died.

After the tragedy, Mothman sightings diminished significantly.

It wasn’t until years after the collapse, when reports surfaced stating the Mothman had been seen on the bridge that night. There are some who speculate the creature is a bad omen, a symbol of an impending tragedy. While others think the creature was trying to warn the residents.

Recently, the legend has made headlines again. There’s been a significant increase in Mothman sightings throughout the Chicago area. More than twenty-one sightings have been reported since April 2017.

The Mothman is back.

Message me on Facebook or Instagram to let me know of any other Myths or Urban Legends you want to see!

You can follow my process creating the illustrations on Instagram: @JeffersonMuncy

Looking for more strange stories? Check out the legend of the Wendigo !

One night in San Antonio Texas, three women were driving back home from the marketplace. As they merged onto highway 191, they saw a large owl swoop in towards the side of the car. They tried to keep their distance, but it chased them upwards to 70mph.

At this point the car suddenly died, but they managed to pull over to the side of the road before it stopped completely. The owl was nowhere to be seen.

After a few tries, they got the car started again. Once the headlights came on, they illuminated a large, human-sized owl sitting on a telephone pole. It watched them intensely. Frightened, they quickly drove away.

After arriving home, the driver told her husband about the incident. Describing the owl as being approximately 7ft tall, with a wingspan of 15ft.

“It must have been a Lechuza,” he said.

La Mujer Lechuza, or “The Owl Witch,” is popular in Hispanic folklore. The stories tell of a witch who can transform into a large bird after dark, commonly taking the form of an owl. Though they have been known to transform into ravens as well.

Seeing one of these creatures is a bad omen, bringing misfortune to whomever it encounters.

For decades, sightings of these human-sized owls have been reported throughout Mexico, and southern Texas.

Some say the Lechuza gained these powers by selling her soul to the devil. Using these abilities to steal children and use them in satanic rituals. Others speculate it’s the spirit of an innocent woman who was wrongly executed; now seeking revenge on humanity. Specifically going after people who have sinned.

Once the witch has selected a victim, it will perch on a tree outside of their home. It will mimic the sound of a crying baby to lure them outside, where it swoops down and carries them away, never to be seen again.

In other cases, it will scratch on the doors and windows in another attempt to lure the victim outside. Many families have reported hearing strange sounds at night, only to find deep scratches on their windows and doors in the morning.

Throughout the stories of La Lechuza, there have been many times when someone has managed to wound, or kill the creature.

One story involves a man from a small village, who managed to shoot the creature in the heart, but after searching all over he never found the body. The following day, members of the village had discovered one of its elders had died the previous night. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the heart.

Throughout folklore, large flying creatures appear often. Stories like the Mothman of Point Pleasant, and the “Birdman” described in Native American myth. Both have similar characteristics, and eyewitness reports are in the thousands. These kinds of creatures are eerily common.

Do you believe the Owl Witch exists? Or is there something else taking flight after dark?

Message me on Facebook or Instagram to let me know of any other Myths or Urban Legends you want to see!

You can follow my process creating the illustrations on Instagram: @JeffersonMuncy

Looking for more strange stories? Check out the legend of the Umibozu !

The Philippines are home to some of the most beautiful islands on the planet. Consisting of over 7000 small islands with dense forests.

Though beautiful, locals believe these forests are home to sinister creatures called Aswang. Reports include a variety of different characteristics, similar to those of vampires, werewolves, witches, and ghouls.

The legend of the Aswang is a large part of Philippine culture. Surveys suggest over 80% of locals believe in some form of the creature. This may result from the integration of Christian values into Philippine life. These promote close family values. When there are 3 or more generations living in a single household, stories are naturally going to be passed down.

Nevertheless, while these values keep families together, their development in the Philippines may have resulted in the emergence of a new kind of Aswang.

The new creature is known as the Manananggal, or “the one who separates itself”.

They are always portrayed as women; some accounts have described them as seductive and beautiful, although others describe them as repulsive.

After the sunset, the Manananggal sprouts large wings on its back. It then separates itself at the waist, leaving the lower half of the body standing in the forest as it flies off in search of victims.

It perches on top of a hut, and slide its extremely long tongue through the straw roof, and into the room where the victim is sleeping. While it sucks the blood of adults as they sleep, its favorite meal is the blood of an unborn fetus. This explained any miscarriages in the community.

There are a few ways to defeat a Manananggal. Its weaknesses are similar to vampires.

It hates the holy cross, garlic, salt, and sunlight. If someone can find its lower half, and stuff salt and garlic into it. The top half will be unable to reattach itself and die the following morning.

These stories didn’t develop until the islands were converted to Christianity. When the Spaniards came into the country, they began to demonize the local way of life. They began telling the public, the local Shamans and healers were practicing the dark arts.

Some speculate during this time of conversion, the Spaniards created the legend of the Manananggal, as an attempt to draw the local people out of the forests and into the cities. Making them easier to control.

Why the Manananggal showed up during this time period is up for debate. Though there are still eyewitness accounts to this day. Stories are told to small children so they will not wander off after dark.

These stories have become part of the identity in the Philippines. Representation of the Manananggal is now used in parades and political protests.

So is the Manananggal a real creature, or just a form of public control?

Message me on Facebook or Instagram to let me know of any other Myths or Urban Legends you want to see!

You can follow my process creating the illustrations on Instagram: @JeffersonMuncy

Cannibalism has always been taboo; the act of eating another person feels like a betrayal of human nature. Those who engage in the act are viewed as monstrous, someone who has lost their humanity.

A dark spirit inhabits in the woods of northern Minnesota, and southern Canada. This area is known as the North Woods, covering 26 million acres in total.

The legend of the Wendigo goes back hundreds of years, and is said to originate with the Algonquian Tribe of North America. Nevertheless, other tribes have reported a similar spirit in the forest.

The creature is approximately 15ft tall, with hands resembling large claws. It’s incredibly malnourished in appearance, with muscles and bones easily visible through its tightly stretched skin. Roaming through the forest, it brings the smell of death.

Traditional stories about the Wendigo take place during winter. An especially difficult time of year in the far north, due to a lack of plentiful hunting and farming. Many tribes went hungry, and dying of starvation was common.

When someone’s on the brink of death, all other concerns fall away. Starvation causes depression, anxiety, and aggression. This weakness from starvation is what the Wendigo preys on.

It possesses a human host, causing immense hunger and uncontrollable urges to eat human flesh. As the person feeds, they begin to transform into the creature. The more it eats, the larger its stomach grows, leaving the creature in a constant state of hunger.

Other interpretations say after a person engages in cannibalism, they will invite Wendigo spirit into them. Only then, will they transform into the creature described in Native American folklore.

Looking at the story with a modern day perspective, we can guess these stories were to prepare the tribe for the hardships of winter. Condoning cannibalism, even if there is no other hope for food. It also serves to caution children about greed, and gluttony. To take only what they need.

Nevertheless, every myth has some truth to it.

The legend is debated in the scientific community. A condition known as Wendigo Psychosis remains a mystery to researchers.Symptoms include having a sudden craving to eat human flesh; with intense anxiety about becoming a cannibal, leaving them terrified about their own cravings.

There have been multiple incidents where families were found dead after being isolated in the woods during winter. In these reports, one of the family members suffered from Wendigo Psychosis. Resulting in them killing the rest of the family, and beginning to eat the bodies.

Does the combination of starvation and isolation lead to a condition where people begin craving human flesh? This may explain the legends passed down for hundreds of years.

The North Woods keep many secrets. Since Wendigo Psychosis occurs in isolated areas, it’s impossible to document every case. There may be others out there who suffer from this condition. Walking through the forests looking for food, bringing with them the smell of death.

Let me know of any Myths or Urban Legends you want to see!

You can follow my process creating the illustrations on Instagram: @JeffersonMuncy

The final Images will soon be available as prints in my online store: JeffersonMuncyArt

Japan has always had a strong connection with the sea. With the size of its fishing market, many of its resources come from the surrounding water. When something plays such a big role in society, stories naturally develop.

In Japanese culture, most folklore and urban legends involve spirits known as the Yokai. These spirits take the form of various creatures, or other natural phenomenon. Though usually developed in smaller regions, taking on characteristics of these areas.

One of the most feared Yokai is seen throughout the sea surrounding the country. Many sailors warn about the legend of the Umibōzu.

The spirits name translates to “sea monk”, because its silhouette resembles a Buddhist monk. Described as a bald, humanoid figure, with no other feature besides a black surface and glowing white eyes. Some legends say they are the spirits of drowned monks, but others describe the creature as a completely unknown force.

The creature has only been seen from the shoulders up, nobody has ever seen what it looks like bellow the water. But there have been stories about large black tentacles erupting from the ocean when the Umibōzu is present.

The spirit is known to capsize ships, flood boats, or just split them in half. Most encounters end in death, so reports from witnesses are rare.

Stories of the Umibōzu make most sailors and fisherman anxious even if the water looks calm. While the Umibōzu usually attacks ships during heavy storms it has been know to sink ships even on calm days. When it rises from the ocean, a storm will begin brewing around its presence, the waves we begin to crash violently, sinking most ships.

There is only one possible way to escape the Umibōzu.

On occasion, when the spirit rises from the ocean, it will gesture for a barrel. If given one, it will begin to scoop water from the ocean and poor it onto the ship, slowly sinking it. However if you give it a barrel with a fake bottom, it will become frustrated as it can’t fill the boat, and retreat to the sea.

Like all folklore, to the people who experience the Yokai, they are very real. We may be able to explain some of these stories with modern science, such as rouge waves. Though these stories were ways for people in the past to make sense of the unknown.

These stories can also help people cope with tragedy. People blame the Umibōzu for the Toya Maru accident; a large commercial ferry was capsized during a storm, killing 275 people. This was part of a larger typhoon in 1954, which clammed the lives of over 3000 people.

These kinds of stories extend well outside of Japan. The Funayūre of China is eerily similar in description. Depicted as a large humanoid spirit rising from the water to sink the ships of sailors.

The ocean is still a mystery; we explored just a fraction of what’s out there. So the ocean has always contained an element of the unknown, and what makes the Umibōzu so terrifying is it will always represent the unknown element of the sea.

Let me know of any Myths or Urban Legends you want to see!

You can follow my process creating the illustrations on Instagram: @JeffersonMuncy

The final Images will soon be available as prints in my online store: JeffersonMuncyArt